HOUSTON — The Houston Astros have finalized a one-year contract with outfielder Ben Gamel, worth $1.2 million. The agreement, reached on Wednesday, includes a signing bonus of $200,000 alongside a salary of $1 million, though the salary is not guaranteed.

Gamel was obtained via waivers from the New York Mets on August 20. During his time with the Astros, he played in 22 games, recording a batting average of .259, three doubles, four runs batted in (RBIs), and 11 walks. His season came to an unexpected halt on September 14 when he suffered a fractured left fibula after colliding with the right-field wall while trying to catch a ball hit by Mickey Moniak in a game against the Los Angeles Angels.

Throughout the entire season, Gamel hit .247, managed to hit one home run, and collected four RBIs over 38 appearances in the major leagues. Additionally, during his time with Triple-A Syracuse, he showcased impressive numbers, boasting a .314 batting average, seven home runs, and 24 RBIs across 45 games.

In his nine-year career in Major League Baseball, Gamel has achieved a .252 batting average, totaling 41 home runs and 204 RBIs. His professional journey has taken him through various teams, including the New York Yankees in 2016, Seattle from 2016 to 2018, Milwaukee from 2019 to 2020, Cleveland in 2021, Pittsburgh during 2021-2022, San Diego in 2023, in addition to his time with the Mets and the Astros.